There has been a noticeable shift towards On-Demand Talent being used as an alternative to large consulting firms.

On-Demand Talent are highly skilled professionals who have opted out of the traditional employment model and have moved towards gig-based work and a portfolio career. They typically have deep in-house experience across a range of organisations and industries and add organisational value by delivering outcome-based work. On-Demand Talent are also known as independent consultants, freelancers and portfolio career professionals. 

While consulting firms and their employees will continue to have their place, more and more Leaders are including On-Demand Talent in the consideration set when they are looking to resource project-based work

On-Demand Talent are finding themselves in the mix as they offer a compelling set of advantages including solution design, cost-efficiency, and expertise.

Solution design

On-Demand Talent offers tailored solutions that are designed for an organisation’s context and unique set of challenges: They know there is no one size fits all and will listen and design a practical solution to meet the leader’s needs. As there is no global playbook or complex methodology they must adhere to, the solution is always fit-for-purpose. 

While some On-Demand Talent may have big consulting experience, the vast majority have many years (often decades!) experience working in internal roles and teams. They understand how to navigate the nuances of an organisation and how the solution must meet the organisation where it is at and where it is going. 

Cost efficiency

On-Demand Talent are significantly more cost effective than big consulting. In many cases, accessing On-Demand Talent with 20 years of impressive experience is more affordable than having early career talent from a big consulting firm put on a project. 

Big consultancies come with overheads, sales targets, multiple touch points and internal processes. The direct relationship with On-Demand Talent, the person actually delivering the work, proves time and again to be both cost and time efficient. On-Demand Talent will work to a leader’s budget and flex between different cost models, such as project cost or day rate.

Expertise

With On-Demand Talent, leaders know who they are working with – a seasoned professional, or a handful of collaborating professionals, who have rich inhouse experience and are ready to deliver. There is no chance of being palmed off to a more junior person who has great intentions but limited experience.

The buck stops with On-Demand Talent. This is their small business and helping leaders achieve what they need to achieve is everything. While On-Demand Talent prioritise their growth and development, they will only ever take on gigs that play to their strengths and experience and where they know without a doubt they will absolutely deliver the outcomes and add value. Leaders pay for their expertise so On-Demand Talent won’t stretch outside of their skillset.

On-Demand Talent brings a lot to the table. They want to have impact by applying their expertise and experience to the teams and organisations they work with. They exist to make a leader’s life easier. The more organisations who experience the perks of working with On-Demand Talent, the clearer it becomes that, in many cases, they are not just an alternative to consider alongside big consultancies, but often the choice to make